Ukraine

The draw determined the order of the countries' performances at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. Ukraine will perform on May 13 along with Sweden, Slovenia and other countries in the first half of the first semifinal.

The European Union is preparing new sanctions against Russia, which will include a ban on the sale of PlayStation and Xbox game consoles. The reason is that the consoles are used by the Russian military to control drones.

A sociological study showed a decline in the number of believers in Ukraine from 74% in 2022 to 68% in 2024. In the west of the country, the number of believers is 85%, in the east - 55%.

The US has introduced a 90-day pause on foreign aid and will audit its use. Scandals at the NBU and corruption cases may affect the trust of international partners and the amount of future assistance.

The share of OCU believers increased from 24% in 2021 to 35% in 2024, while the UOC-MP decreased from 13% to 5. 5%. The total number of Orthodox believers has decreased from 61% to 51% over the past year.

PACE adopted a resolution on reforming the UN Security Council with 109 votes. The document envisages expanding the membership, revising the veto and strengthening the role of the UN General Assembly.

The doctors explained the importance of laboratory tests for the selection of a donor-recipient pair during transplantation. The process of HLA typing and the necessary tests for successful organ transplantation were discussed in detail.

The state budget of Ukraine received UAH 1. 89 billion from the privatization of Aerok LLC, which belonged to Russian oligarch Molchanov. The asset was sold at Prozorro. Sale, where its price doubled from the starting price.

Fraudsters are massively sending emails on behalf of the State Tax Service with a request to urgently contact the specified phone number. The Tax Service emphasizes that it does not use personal numbers for communication.

Two residents of Kremenchuk collected coordinates of military airfields for Russian missile strikes. FSB agents planned to spy on aviation infrastructure in 5 regions of Ukraine.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Martha Kos has announced the possibility of opening the 'Fundamentals' and 'External Action' clusters for Ukraine in the framework of the EU accession negotiations in the first half of the year. Implementation depends on the support of member states and the procedure in the EU Council.

Tetyana Kotlyar, Head of the All-Ukrainian Pharmaceutical Union “Farmukraina”, advocated a systematic approach to regulating drug prices, taking into account all stages of price formation. She explained the role of retro bonuses and urged not to ban them completely.

Prisoners of war in Ukraine will be allowed to make phone calls via IP telephony in coordination with the Coordination Headquarters. For suspected criminals, additional permission is required from the investigating authorities.

The European Union is working on a new package of sanctions against Russia, which is expected to be ready by February. Kaja Kallas emphasized the importance of continuing economic pressure and military support for Ukraine.

The government transfers shares in PIN Bank confiscated from Russian oligarchs to Ukrposhta to create a postal bank. This will save up to UAH 5 billion and improve access to banking services across the country.

A Russian drone attacked a Ukrposhta vehicle in frontline Pokrovsk, but the drivers were not injured. The post office continues to operate in the format of a mobile branch for 7,000 local residents.

José Manuel Albares visited Lviv, where he will open the first Cultural Hub in Ukraine together with Ukrainian officials and the head of UNESCO. The Minister also visited Lviv National University.

The Cabinet of Ministers decided to receive EUR 300 million from the European Investment Bank. 200 million will be spent on hydroelectric power plants, and 100 million will be used to modernize heating systems in communities.

In 2025, Ukraine will receive more than $65 billion in international assistance from its partners. The funding will come from the EU, the IMF and the G7 countries' ERA initiative from frozen assets of the Russian Federation.

Persons liable for military service in Ukraine will be able to apply for a referral to a military medical commission online through the Reserve+ app. The new option is available for volunteers and those who have received a call-up.

Dmytro Klimenkov has been dismissed from the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine. This decision is related to the arms procurement issues previously announced by Minister Rustem Umerov.

In Odesa region, a 24-year-old RTCC serviceman was detained for demanding bribes for issuing fake summonses. He asked for $1,000 and 2,000 hryvnias for a document that allowed him to move freely around the country for 6 days.

The expert explained how to choose and consume sweets without harming your health. She named healthy and harmful sweeteners, as well as the basic rules for consuming desserts.

France plans to provide Ukraine with Mirage 2000 fighter jets in the first quarter of 2025. This was announced by the Minister of the French Armed Forces Sebastian Lecornu.

Five children aged 1. 5 years and older have been returned from the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk and Kherson regions. Among them are the daughter of a servicewoman released from captivity and a young man who is being helped with documents and admission to a university.

Border guards detained a woman who recruited Ukrainian women for sexual exploitation in the Czech Republic under the guise of working in nightclubs. The offender promised to earn 100 euros per hour.

As a result of a nighttime attack by Russian drones, 72 settlements in Cherkasy region were cut off from electricity. Electricity consumption in Ukraine is decreasing due to warming, and the power system continues to recover from the attacks.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 100 Shahed drones and imitator drones from different directions. Air defense forces destroyed 65 UAVs and damaged infrastructure in seven regions.

USCIS suspends acceptance of applications under the United for Ukraine program for Ukrainian refugees. The decision is related to the Executive Order “Securing Our Borders” of January 20, 2025.

Trump intends to use tough methods of pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine within 100 days. The plan includes economic sanctions, blackmail, and possible involvement of China to influence Putin.